Aboriginal Races of Frontier prior to the Pashtun invasions

[dil_dil]

Most Pakistani Christians are Dalit converts,right?

There are many muslim dalit converts also, but 99% of christians are dalit converts in Pakistan.

 

[Samandri]

Malala's facial features are common in Pakhtunkhwa. About skin colour, she has mentioned some thing about it in her book about her father's darker complexion than average........In upper northren area like swat, both pashtuns and dardic people have usually very lighter complexions......

 

[pakdefender]

Skin color in KPK is quite varied , from light skin to darker tones of brown , its not uniform and it is hard to pin point and separate people from one region of KPK to the other based on skin,hair and eye colour , because it can vary quite a lot, even within the same family

 

[Samandri]

Note the diversity of swat people, (Only the category "landowner and warrior" is designated pakhtun in swat and elsewhere in pakhtunkhwa)

Source: Features of Person and Society in Swat ~ (Fredrik Barth, 1981)
@oye_natta, @ghoul, @Jaggu, @sahaliyan

 

[dil_dil]

Note the diversity of swat people, (Only the category "landowner and warrior" is designated pakhtun in swat and elsewhere in pakhtunkhwa)
View attachment 178929
Source: Features of Person and Society in Swat ~ (Fredrik Barth, 1981)
@oye_natta, @ghoul, @Jaggu, @sahaliyan

Caste system is strong even in pashtun areas.

 

[ghoul]

@Samandri: A bit off topic comment, but since you know a good deal about the pashtuns, I have a question for you. Do Durranis and Ghilzais consider each other "different" per say? And how long have the durrani-ghilzai rivalry been? Secondly, are Ghilzais found in Pakistan?

I was interested in Ghilzais because their former leader was a "Nasher", who claim descent from Mahmud of Ghazni. This guy is a descendant of the Nasher khan, and he doesn't look like a Pakistani Pakhtun to me:

 

[mujhaidind]

Note the diversity of swat people, (Only the category "landowner and warrior" is designated pakhtun in swat and elsewhere in pakhtunkhwa)

Are there any black pathans like black balochis?

 

[ghoul]

Are there any black pathans like black balochis?

If by "black" you mean skin colour, then yes you can find a few dark brown people among the pakhtuns but they're a minority. The majority of Pakhtuns are of fair complexions like Kashmiris etc. Baloch on the other hand can be quite dark, but the majority look a lot like the pakhtuns, but only darker.

By "black" if you mean African, then they are only found in the Makran coast of Balochistan. They are descendants of African slaves dumped into the Makran coast by the Omani sultanate.

 

[mujhaidind]

If by "black" you mean skin colour, then yes you can find a few dark brown people among the pakhtuns but they're a minority. The majority of Pakhtuns are of fair complexions like Kashmiris etc. Baloch on the other hand can be quite dark, but the majority look a lot like the pakhtuns, but only darker.

By "black" if you mean African, then they are only found in the Makran coast of Balochistan. They are descendants of African slaves dumped into the Makran coast by the Omani sultanate.

By black I mean african or mixed. What I have noticed that balochis inter-marry with black balochis. And there are lot of mixed balochis who look like both black and native balochis.

 

[ghoul]

By black I mean african or mixed. What I have noticed that balochis inter-marry with black balochis. And there are lot of mixed balochis who look like both black and native balochis.

I don't much about Balochistan, but from what I know, the "Suleimani" Baloch and Brahvis do not intermarry with the Makrani Baloch, who are undoubtedly African mixed to varying degrees. Perhaps @DESERT FIGHTER would answer this question better, if requested.

 

[Kabira]

@Samandri: A bit off topic comment, but since you know a good deal about the pashtuns, I have a question for you. Do Durranis and Ghilzais consider each other "different" per say? And how long have the durrani-ghilzai rivalry been? Secondly, are Ghilzais found in Pakistan?

I was interested in Ghilzais because their former leader was a "Nasher", who claim descent from Mahmud of Ghazni. This guy is a descendant of the Nasher khan, and he doesn't look like a Pakistani Pakhtun to me:

Ghilzai are found in Pakistan but i think they are more numorous in Afghanistan and make biggest pashtun tribe in Afghanistan. But i am not sure about numbers.

Ghilzai in Pakistan[edit]
''The Ghilzai super-tribe in Pakistan is usually recognized by its tribes and sub-tribes located in various parts of the country.In Quetta many members of Ghilzai tribe such as Kharoti, Suleimankhel, Andar are mainly concentrated in Northern and City Central Areas. Whereas in Khyber Pakhtunkwa, Ghilzai Sub-tribes like Niazi and Tanoli dwell both in plain and hilly areas. The Niazi are mostly settled in Bannu District Of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Mianwali district of The Punjab and Tanoli in the remote hilly areas of Hazara Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, mainly in the Tanawal Region which was previously an independent Tanoli princely state of Amb .''

 

[Joe Shearer]

This is a very interesting topic. The whole Pashtun dominated region + northern hills including Potohar was called Gandhara in the ancient times. The modern day word "Kandahar" comes from that region. The region was populated by many nations according to old sanskrit writings.

First of all there was no "pashtun invasion" as such, as pashtuns claim to have been settled there by Mahmud. There is evidence of KPK, FATA region being under indic speaking peoples. The local languages of southern KP/FATA would be Seraiki and Hindko, and that of northern would be dardic varieties. There have been remains of structures and temples found on the bank west of Indus in Mianwali and DI Khan districts. The western Indus valley would have been populated with people in the past, but I would imagine the mountain ranges to have been sparsely populated. Mahmud Ghazni would have ethnically cleansed the native hindus, and would have settled pashtuns there.

The only Pashtun tribe which talks something about an "invasion" are the Niazis of Esa Khel and Mianwali. They claim to have driven awans from Esa Khel across the salt range. Now their claims might be true, for hindko speaking awans are found in Kohat and Bannu too apparently. Now you talked about awans being called "kammaya" in Kohat region and that they are dark skinned. Now the pure blooded awans of salt range, Khushab regions tend to be quite pale skinned. It's not uncommon to find green eyed, brown bearded awans in Attock, Chakwal etc. The so called "awans" from Kohat, Bannu might be the "kammis"(Punjabi/Pothwari/Hindko word for menials, and dalits/gypsies) under their local awan waderas before pashtun settlements, but would have adopted the awan surname. It's not uncommon for kammis to adopt the surnames of whatever dominant tribes they are serving. Hence you see a lot of Punjabi christians and "chuhras" using the surname "Bhatti", which is actually a dominant rajput tribe in Punjab and ruling the state of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. But yeah, evidence points that niazi pashtuns indeed drove awans across the Indus, but in Musa Khel, the Niazis themselves got invaded later on. Musa Khel, Mianwali Tehsil+ Kalabagh was taken over by the Gakhars at some point in time, and the niazis east of Indus were more or less subdued by them. I heard somewhere that the Niazis of Esa Khel(west of Indus) do not consider the Niazis of Musa Khel(east of Indus) to be true Niazis. The Niazi territory abruptly ends at Namal, from whence on, the awans become supreme.

But back to ancient history. Here are a few facts. The old name of Jalalabad in Afghanistan was "Adinapur". Now "pur" is a very north west indic sounding name, pointing to the fact that the city might have an indic origin. The old name of Peshawar was "Purushapur". "Puru" is the name of an Aryan clan, Pandavas, fighting in Mahabharata. Some rajput tribes of the northern Punjab, AJK region even claim descent from the purus. The Indian mathematician, Panini was born in Charsadda, and was a Brahmin, again pointing to the fact that maybe the regions was populated by some indic speaking peoples.

Kandahar from Gandhara is a very common mistake. Kandahar was the site of Alexandria Arachosias (Arachosia was the old name for Seistan or Sakasthan). The two places are wide apart, and that should have given people a clue.

 

[Samandri]

@Samandri: A bit off topic comment, but since you know a good deal about the pashtuns, I have a question for you. Do Durranis and Ghilzais consider each other "different" per say? And how long have the durrani-ghilzai rivalry been? Secondly, are Ghilzais found in Pakistan?

I was interested in Ghilzais because their former leader was a "Nasher", who claim descent from Mahmud of Ghazni. This guy is a descendant of the Nasher khan, and he doesn't look like a Pakistani Pakhtun to me:

Durranis are more sophisticated and mild-mannered, while ghilzais are fiercer and far more traditional. Generally ghilzais were regarded as better warriors in the history but less civilized than durranis. Pashtunwali and pashtun culture is followed more strongly by ghilzais, even in north they are sticking to it while durranis would easily assimilate into dari population. Moreover ghilzais were nomads, portion of them still have nomadic lifestyle while durranis were always settled people.

Ghilzai-Durrani rivalry or enmity was noticeable in Mughal-Safavid wars. Durranis sided with Safavids while Ghilzais sided with Mughals. Ghilzais also aided Mughals in their campaigns against uzbeks during Shahjahan times While durranis were present in the courts of safavids since 16th century.

Kandhar became bone of contention between durranis and ghilzais. Safavid rulers obviously favoured durranis over ghilzais in case of kandhar but tides turned when Mirawais, a ghilzai chief of hotak branch captured kandhar from safavids in 1708. Ghilzais exiled durranis towards Herat. In 1719 ghilzais began to conquer sistan and in 1721 isfahan, capital of safavid empire, was captured by hotaki ghilzais.

In 1729 Nadir shah defeated ghilzais in iran and , as precautionary measure also defeated durranis of herat. Nadir shah won the support of durranis as well as tokhi branch of ghilzais who were bitter enemies of hotak branch of ghilzais who were still ruling kandhar. In 1738 nadir shah captured kandhar and handed it over to durranis, while hotaks were exiled to mashhad. The remaining branches of ghilzais were defeated by nadir shah one by one as far as kabul. India was actually invaded for the reason that some ghilzais had taken refuge there among mughals. In Nadir shah's victories against ghilzais, role of durranis was quite evident.

Ghilzais didnt support Ahmad shah abdali, or any durrani king or emir. At various points, ghilzais revolted against durrani rulers. When they revolted in the times of emir abdulal rehman, the iron king, large number of them were exiled to north. The nashar khan you mentioned, was chief of kharoti branch of ghilzais and they were exiled to kunduz in north by amir abdul rehman.

Ghilzais are not that great in number in Pakistan. Nasar branch of ghilzai, who were powindas, are settled in balochistan while there are some sulieman khels (another branch of ghilzais) in south waziristan. Lodhi tribes, are cousins of ghilzais, and are numerous in pakistan. Lodhi trribes includes niazis, marwats, kundis, dotanis, daulat khels, miankhels, sherwani, suris, prangis etc etc

By black I mean african or mixed. What I have noticed that balochis inter-marry with black balochis. And there are lot of mixed balochis who look like both black and native balochis.

There are African-Black people on coast of mekran, because they were bought as slaves by Balochs, the ones in karachi migrated from balochistan, when given freedom by their baloch masters due to great drought.

 

[Roybot]

Kandahar from Gandhara is a very common mistake. Kandahar was the site of Alexandria Arachosias (Arachosia was the old name for Seistan or Sakasthan). The two places are wide apart, and that should have given people a clue.

I thought Gedrasia was the old name for Sistan?

 

[Joe Shearer]

I thought Gedrasia was the old name for Sistan?

Yes, you are right, Arachosia lay to the north-east of Gedrosia. It was slovenly on my part.

This map might help the discussion.

Map of the Conquests of Alexander the Great 336-323 BC

Kandahar from Gandhara is a very common mistake. Kandahar was the site of Alexandria Arachosias (Arachosia was the old name for Seistan or Sakasthan). The two places are wide apart, and that should have given people a clue.

Roybot just pointed out that I made a sloppy mistake calling Arachosia the same as the later Seistan. Gedrosia was the old name for Seistan; he is perfectly correct. Arachosia lay between Gedrosia and the Gandhara area.

Please see the map I sent him in my reply, for the relative positions of the three areas.

Kandahar from Gandhara is a very common mistake. Kandahar was the site of Alexandria Arachosias (Arachosia was the old name for Seistan or Sakasthan). The two places are wide apart, and that should have given people a clue.

A few minutes ago, while searching for a map for Roybot, I came across a passage which surprised me.

//Arachosia bordered Drangiana to the west,Paropamisadae (i.e. Gandahara) to the north, a part of ancient India to the east, and Gedrosia (orDexendrusi) to the south. Isidore and Ptolemy(6.20.4-5) each provide a list of cities in Arachosia, among them (yet another) Alexandria, which lay on the river Arachotus. This city is frequently mis-identified with present-day Kandahar in Afghanistan, the name of which was thought to be derived (via "Iskanderiya") from "Alexandria",[2]reflecting a connection to Alexander the Great's visit to the city on his campaign towards India. But a recent discovery of an inscription on a clay tablet has provided proof that 'Kandahar' was already a city that traded actively with Persia well before Alexander's time. Isidore, Strabo (11.8.9) and Pliny (6.61) also refer to the city as "metropolis of Arachosia."//

Paropamisadae, while this is not proven, is probably the best candidate for Gandhara.

The passage is from Wikipedia, not an acceptable source. Please read the original with a sceptical eye.